Printing apparatus



July 19, 1938'. J, 2,124,376

PRINTING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ql Rona,

Srwentor:

j i (Ittorneg July 19, 1938. 2,124,376

I PRINTING APPARATUS W Filed April 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zhwentor 'July 19, 1938. J; RNA

v I PRINTING APPARATUS Filed A rils, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIHUQ- IIIIIIHIIIIIIITIWIIIIIII 3maentor I w w (Ittorneg .r.

y 19334 J. RC JNA PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aplfil 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 3nventor (Ittomeg July 19, 1938.. J. RONA PRINTING APPARATUS Filed April 9', 1936 5 Sheets-Shet 5 3nbentor I an a.

8g M '(Ittorneg car Patented July 19, l938 PATENT oF-F IcEi 2,124,37 PRINTING APIfARATU S Josef Rona, Budapest, Hungary Application April 9, 1936, Serial No. 73,559 In Belgium April 8,1935

V 6 Claims. I (01. 101-35) This invention relates to a printing apparatus, more particularly to an apparatus for the printing of box-shaped articles such asmatch-boxes and the like.

1 One of the Objects of the invention is to pro- Another object of this invention is to provide a printing apparatus for the above named purposes which works in a reliable manner and in which the boxes are guided by "means of relatively simple construction. V 5 Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate constructional forms of the printing apparatusaccording to the in vention by way of example. In these drawings: 20 Figure 1 is a side view of the first constructional form,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, V; I V

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the Ene a- 4 of Figure 2. V

Figure 5 is a side view of the second constructional form. 30 Figure 6 is a plan View of Fig. 5 and Figure 7 is a partly sectional View of a detail on a larger scale of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the third constructional form, the frame of the apparatus beingomitted,

Fig. 9 shows on a larger scale a detail of the conveyor belts,

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show details of the apparatus according to Fig. 8 on a larger scale, Figs. 11

40 and 12 being sectional views on lines'l'|ll and l2--l2 respectively of Fig. 8.

Fig. 13 shows on a larger scale the upper part of the guiding device for the printed boxes together with a signal apparatus,

45 Fig. 14 is a plan View of the same.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view showing the end of the conveyor belt I31 opposite that appearing in Fig. 8.

In Figures 1-4 of the drawings I is a guide chan- 50 nel or guide rail on which the boxes 2 are conveyed continuously forward in an 'uprightposition by means of a suitable device. 3 isa vertical wall of the machine frame 4'. In this wall a shaft 5 is supported by main bearings, driven from 55 the/power transmitting device 6 by way of the shaft '1 and of the intermediate gearing 8, 9. The free end of the shaft 5 carries a disc 10 by which a conveyor belt 12 guided on rollers II is moved. Bythe side of the disc ID the shaft '5 I carries a cam disc l3 which, however, also forms a single piece with the disc 10. On the wall 3, a lever l5ll is rotatably mounted at M, the lever end l5, having a roll Nico-operating with the cam 13. The end, I! of the lever is pivotally connected at 18 with a link I9 pivotally connected 1 at 20 with the segment 22 rotatable in the bracket 2|.

' The free end of the conveyor belt 23 is mounted on the segment 22 and moves on guiding rollers 24, whereas the free end of the conveyor belt is subjected to the force of the spring 25, which is connected at its other end at 26 with a fixed p'art'of the machine, for instance, with the rails l.

Opposite to the section 12 of theconveyor belt I 12 a second conveyor belt 21. moves, guided on '20 rollers '28. The part of the latter belt, being over the highest guiding roller of the conveyor belt 12, is influenced by a press roller 29 mounted in'a swivel 3.1111'29' and pressed by'means of'the spring 29" against the channel or rail 30 conveying the ready printed boxes. The channel is joined horizontally to the said highest guiding roller ll of the conveyor belt l2. The ready printed boxes 2 are conveyed by two belts 3|, 32 the horizontal portions of which are situated 3 above and below the boxes.

The driving of the conveyor belts I2, 21, 31, and 32 is derived in a suitable manner from the main driving gear of the machine. In the con structional form according to' Figures 1-4 a belt gearing 38, 39, 40 isprovided for this purpose. On the shaft 4| of the pulley 40 one of the guiding rollers 42' for the conveyor belt 31 is mounted. Also on-the same shaft a toothed wheel 43 gearing with the toothed wheel 44 is provided. The shaft =4 45 of the latter carries one of the guiding rollers 4'6 for the upper conveyorbelt 32. H

The printing of the boxes is accomplished by the printing rollers 33, the boxes being carried ing surfaces advantageously consist of hard rubber printing blocks with letters or figures of conical cross section. The hard rubber printing blocks rest on a base of soft rubber.

Theprinting rollers 33, 34 are supplied with paints by means of inking devices 35, 36 in a 5 5 is adapted to convey the boxes separately between the conveyor belts l2 and 21, as will be herein after described.

During the revolution of the cam disc I3 the,

cams. l3 engage with the roller l6 of the lever.

As soon as the roller 18 runs up on the cams 13', r

the lever l5, I1 is swung and the segment 22 is pressed down by the link i 9. In this way the end of the conveyor belt 23 being connected with the segment 22 is drawn downwards and the stop 31 is moved upwards.

The belt 23 together with the stop 3 carry the box upwardly until the latter is caughtbe'tween the parts of the conveyor belts l2 and 21, which are substantially parallel to each other. Simultaneously with the described movement of the conveyor belt 23 the spring 25 is stretched and carries the parts back into their initial position, when the roller It moves into the depression between the cams l3, whereupon the stop is ready to again engage a box to be provided with print ing.

During the time that the box is moved upwards between the parts I2, 21, of the conveyor belts which are substantially parallel toeach other, the said box is printed. After leaving the parallel section !2, 21 of the conveyor belts the box is introduced by means of the spring pressed roller 29 into the conveying device 30, 3|, 32 in the manner already described. Here the box travels further either to be subjected to further processes of treatment, or to be supplied to the packing device. Eventually in this way, the printing on the box can also be dried, this being unnecessary in the case of using quick drying printing paint-s. 1

Preferably, the printing matrices of the printing rollers 33 are interchangeable. Also, one of the printing rollers only may be provided with printing surfaces whilst the other printing roller serves merely as an abutment. The number of the printing rollers and of the matrices is dependent on the extent and number of colors of the printing matter desired.

In the second constructional form shown in Figures 5-7 the supply of the single boxes to the conveyor belts l2, 2? or to their parallel sections I2, 21, respectively, takes place in a different manner.

The drive is accomplished likewise by means of a pulley 6, carrying on its shaft 1 a wedged toothed wheel 8, driving the toothed wheel 9 on the shaft 5. On the shaft 1 is further a toothed wheel 41, which gears with the toothed wheel 48 mounted in bearings of the machine frame. The shaft of this toothed wheel carries a disc 49 (Figure '7) having an eccentric groove 50. This groove guides a roller 5|, arranged rotatably in a bearing in thearm of the angular lever 52 which is mounted rotatably at 53. a link 55 and pivots 54 and 56 this angular lever is pivotally connected with a bar 51 guided at 59. Thebar 51 is terminated on the upper end in a head 58. a

By means of Opposite to the head 58, the bottom of the guiding channel or rail l is provided with an opening.

The disc 49 is rotated by means of the toothed wheels 41, 48 and owing to the eccentricity of the groove 50, the roller 5! running therein swings the angular lever 52 on each revolution. By means of the link 55 the bar 51 guided at 59, is carried, itshead entering the opening in the bottom of the guide I and moving the box 2 located in this opening between the conveyor ,belts I2, 21.

pulley 8| arranged on the shaft 5.

A second strap-pulley 60 provided likewise on the shaft 5, drives the disc 40 by means of the cord 66.

In Figure 8 again I designates the guide channel for the boxes. In this constructional form the boxes 2 are carried, as well as in the constructional form shown in Figure 5 by means of a headed bar 51, guided at 59 between the conveyor belts 15, 98 carrying the 1 boxes through the. printing device, but the drive of 'the bar 51 and the manner of guiding of the boxesis a different one.

On the main shaft 5 a pulley 88 is mounted being driven by a belt 67. The main shaft carries further as in the constructional form according to Figure 5 a disc 49 provided with a groove 50. The groove 55 carries a roller 5| arranged rotatably in the single armed lever Ill pivoted at 69. This lever is connected by means of the pivot 54 to the joint 55 and the latter by the pivot 56 to the rod 51. r The motion of the rod is the same as in the constructional form shown in Figure 5.

On the main shaft 5 further a toothed wheel II is arranged, gearing with a toothed wheel 13 being firmly wedged on the shaft 12. This shaft carries a disc 14, forming one of the guiding discs of the conveyor belt 15. This conveyor belt runs along one side of the large disc Tl arranged on the shaft 16 and is tensioned by a roller 18, the latter being carried by an arm 19 which is rotatably mounted on the pivot 80. The disc 18 is pressed against the conveyor belt in a suitable manner as for instance, by a spiral spring surrounding the shaft 80. This tensioning device is not shown in the drawings as such devices are well known to those skilled in the art. Also the other tensioning devices referred to in the further course of the description are pressed in the same manner.

The conveyor belt 15 runs on the opposite side of the disc 14 on guiding rollers 8|, 82. Beginning at the latter roller the belt in its section 15 forms one of the substantially vertical guides for the boxes 2. In its further course the belt 15 is guided by the large disc Tl, it is then continued ina substantially horizontal section 15" and, finally, it runs round the guiding rollers 83, 84.

The toothed wheel 13 arranged on the shaft [2 gears with a further toothed wheel 85, firmly wedged on the shaft 86. The toothed wheel 85 dri es t t ethet Whee 33. which-is earri l ib he Sh 8 en ese ee he ee 90, wedged on the shatt 8 9 i he t t ee h ee disc tracts when reyer belt. is ea d blv the rol ers 3 9, b the tensioning-roller 91 carried by, the arm 9t h v ede 9 h he 2 ted' vlt e rode ters between the substantially vertical section gg.

of they conll yor belt Stand the opposite sec,- tion 13 of the conveyor belt I5, being likewise substantially vertical.

, is opposite to the section I 5 of the conveyor b 5.-end a l l t he sam Y I The conveyor belt isdrivenbya disc I carried by the shaft 9 9. This disc is driven by a toothed wheel I 0 I, gearing with the toothed wheel {it}, carried on the shaft Ill. The guiding of the belt 93 is accomplished at firstby the discs IIIIZ, I03. The latter disc guides the belt intotthe vertical section 98 and from this point the conveyor belt is taken over by the boxes 2, which latter are carried between this belt and the cone ev r b By t i n roller. 14 ebelt is guided over in the substantially horizontal section ,918". After the roller I04 the belt runs over the guiding roller 105, then over the tensioning roller IIl and the roller H11.

, Thus the boxes individually supplied, are carried by the belts I5, 92 throughthe apparatus and the boxes 2 leave the same on the right hand end (in thedrawings) of the horizontal parallel guide 15", 9 8". In the drawings the direction of movement of the conveyorbelts is marked by arrows.

Figure 9 shows as an example a constructional form of the conveyor belt 15. In order to increase the friction of the belt on the boxes 2 for insuring movement of the latter, the conveyor belt 15 is provided on its side adjacent to the boxes with a layer of rubber or like material 15a. Of course, instead of the conveyor belt 15 the conveyor 92, 98 can be likewise constructed.

In the constructional form according to Figure 8 the printed boxes are carried over the top of a chute I08 through which the same are conveyed for further dealing or packing purposes. The supply of the boxes to the chute is efiected by elastic arms I09 arranged on the boss I I I rotatably mounted on, the shaft H0. On this shaft is carried a pulley H2 which is driven by means of the belt H4 from the pulley H3 of the shaft 93. The rotation of the shaft III) is controlled in such a manner that whenever a box is leaving the sections 15", 98" of the pit I08; one of the elastic arms I09 is in a nearly horizontal position so that the box 2 to be conveyed is pushed under this arm and enters the chute I08.

In this chute the boxesfall fiatwise and enter then the, uiding rail H5. This rail has an :U- shaped cross section (Figures 11 and 12) and is detachably fixed on theupper end of the chute IE8 by means of a clip .HIl being screwed on (Figures 8 and At a certain distance from the opening of the U-shaped rail H5 runs, parallel an elastic metal, strip I II, guiding the boxes {during descent in the rail. The elastic strips It! are fastened on the rail H5 by means of clamps H3 and HBa (Figures 1 1, and 12). The rail H5 and the clamps H8, Hilq. are connected, tr meets efsere e Her. v

clamps Ila con is in a fr wh ch. on

sh s d is .eehhected wi h th a I as t e other pa t of th ame i pr vi e with a thread for a screw I20. The lower end of this -ser Wathrust -.asainst he elastic ip H1. By setting of the screw, the distance between the stri II I and th r i 5 an so, t e cl a space I2 I,(Figure 11), for the boxes 2, can be adjusted. The boxes are adapted to pass loosely be we n the ai 5 and t b y mu ot rub on the railI I5. The screw I is secured in itsadjustedposition by the lock nuts I22, I22.

The clamp I IBaKFigure 12) serves as a device tor-retarding the movement of the boxes passin through the lower end of the guide. With this end in iew a clamp H8a is provided at the top with an opening I23 in which a bolt I24 is guided. :Tneupper part of this bolt forms a screw I25, whereas to the lower end of the same thelower free end of the strip H1 is firmly connected, for example riveted. The bolt I24 is surrounded by a spiral spring I26, thrusting from one side on the strip II! and from the other side on a plate I21. At this clamp the strip H1 is supported for example by means of the rivet head I28 on the upper end of the box 2, thus in failure of the space being present at the clamps H8, the spring I26 exerts on the boxes 2 entering the clamp H.8a an elastic pressure which slackens the movement of the boxes. The pressure of the spring I26'can be adjusted by means of the screws I and the nut I29, respectively. The

locking-nut I30 secures the screw I25 in the adjusted position. If the guide H5, H1 is filled with boxes 'up to the retarding device H8a, the I boxes constitute in themselves a suflicient resistance so that after a certain period of operation of the apparatus the pressure of the spring I26 can be released and, respectively, the strip H! can be lifted off the boxes 2.

The guiding rail I I5 terminates in a horizontal part H5 returning the boxes into the upright position on a conveyor belt Hi. This conveyor belt carries the boxes onto their place of destination. The end of the conveyor belt represented in Figure 8 runs over a roller I32 mounted on a shaft I33 and the shaft I33 of the roller carries a pulley I34. This pulley is driven by means of the crossed 'belt I31 from the pulley I36 being wedged on the shaft I35. The latter carries also the guiding disc 65 for the conveyor belt 64 carrying the boxes 2 to the guide I. The opposite end of the conveyor belt I3I extends over a roller I32a. mounted on a shaft I 33a as shown in Fig. 15.

- The detachable connection of the chute I08 with the guide H5, H1 affords the advantage that the boxes can be conveyed further in any direction. For this purpose it is only necessary to, release the clip connection I I6 and to arrange the same on one of the other sides of the chute I98. In Figure 8 another conveying direction of the boxes is represented by dot and dash lines. In this case the clip H6 is arranged on the opposite side at H6 of the chute I08 and the rail H1 is turned 180 degrees with relation to the first described arrangement. As for the rest the apparatus remains v unaltered, It is self-evident that the conveyor belt [3| will then be arranged at the proper place as indicated at I3I'. It is driven by a belt I31 and a pulley I34. It is also possible, to arrange the rail on the chute at an angle of 90 from the position represented by full ih s e hat. e b es. an. e c v d cc rdhstelr ehrdireeti n- In order to be able to observe the boxes and especially their correct position in the chute I08 a door I38 witha window I39 is arranged on one side of the chute (Figures 8 and 13). The door I38 is hinged at I40 and is provided with a handle I4I. After turning down of the door I38 the upper end of the chute I08 becomes accessible and improperly positioned boxes as well as improperly printed boxes can be removed.

On the chute I08 is further an alarm device arranged giving a signal whenever the boxes stick in the pit or in the guide H5, I IT. For this purpose a flap I43 turnable on the pivot I42 is arranged. This fiap is provided with a contact piece I45 connected by the conductor I46 with one pole I41 of a source ofelectric current I48. The other pole I49 is connected by the conductor I50 with a contact piece I52 fixed on the pit I08 on an intermediate insulator II. The flap I43 is normally held in closed position by means of a catch-spring I53 (Figure 14) fixed on the chute I08.

In the case of a box 2 being in the chute I08 in an irregular position which can be caused also by an irregular position of the boxes in the guide H5, II! exerting a counter-pressure against the pile of boxes, the irregularly positioned box exerts a pressure on the flap I43 against the effect of the spring I53, the flap turns down in the position represented in Figure 13 by dotted lines and the contact I45, I52 will be closed. Thereby the circuit of the source I48 of the electric current will be closed and a visible or audible signal will be given. In the drawings an incandescent lamp I54 is represented as an example. The flashing up of this lamp indicates to the attendant that something is out of order and that the apparatus is to be stopped.

The described alarm device can also be used in a manner known per se for the automatic stopping of the apparatus or to give a signal.

The constructional forms of the apparatus described as examples are adapted for printing the narrow sides of boxes, that is the usual friction surfaces of match boxes which, in this Way, are provided with an efiective advertisement. But the apparatus .may 'be built within the limits of the invention so that it is adapted for printing of the broad sides of the boxes, printing on them for example advertisements or marks. By means of this apparatus after the necessary constructional alterations, it is also possible, to provide box-like objects, that is, flat match packages with printing on their friction surfaces or on other places.

In theappara'tus described the rail or channel I preferably is joined closely to the drying channel of the machine for producing match boxes, whereas the ready printed boxes are conveyed from the channel or rail 30 to the device for packing the boxes. Also, the printing device is adapted to be inserted in apparatus for the production of match packages already existing, without any essential alterationof the existing parts.

What I claim is:

1. In a printing apparatus for printing box shaped articles, spaced parallel conveyor belts movable synchronously in the same direction for carrying between them the box shaped articles to be stamped, means for feeding box-shaped articles to said belts, means for driving said belts, means for guiding opposite substantially parallel portions of the belts first vertically upwardly and then in a curved path-to a substantially horizontal plane, printing rollers arranged opposite the edges of the belts for printing upon opposite sides of the boxes as the belts move said boxes upwardly, and means for guiding the box-shaped articles leaving the conveyor belts in a direction toward the horizontal plane occupied by said feeding means.

.2. In a printing apparatus for printing box shaped articles, spaced parallel conveyor belts movablesynchronously in the same direction for carrying between them the box shaped articles to be stamped, means for driving said belts, means for feeding said articles one by one between said conveyor belts, means for guiding opposite substantially parallel portions of the belts first vertically upwardly and then in a curved path to a substantially horizontal plane, and printing rollers arranged opposite the edges of the belts for printing upon opposite sides of the boxes as the belts move the same upwardly.

3. In a printing apparatus for printing box shapedarticles, spaced parallel conveyor belts movable synchronously in the same direction for carrying between them the box shaped articles to be stamped, means for driving said belts, means including a reciprocating pusher for feeding said articles one by one between said conveyor belts, means for reciprocating said pusher, means for guiding opposite substantially parallel portions of the belts first vertically upwardlyand then in a curved path to a substantially horizontal plane, and printing rollers arranged opposite the edges of the belts for printing upon opposite sides of the boxes as the belts move the same upwardly.

4. In a printing apparatus for printing box shaped articles, spaced parallel conveyor belts movable synchronously in the same direction for carrying between them the box shaped articles tobe stamped, means for driving said belts, means for guiding opposite substantially parallel portions of the belts first vertically upwardly and then in a curved path to a substantially horizontal plane, printing rollers arranged opposite the edges of the belts for printing upon opposite sides'of the box shaped articles as the belts move the same upwardly, and a vertical pitfall adapted to receive articles moving along said horizontal plane for stacking said articles in substantially flat condition.

5. In a printing apparatus for printing box shaped articles, spaced parallel conveyor belts movable synchronously in the same direction for carrying between them the box shaped articles to be stamped, means for driving said belts,

means for guiding opposite substantially parallel portions of the belts first vertically upwardly and then in a curved path to a substantially horizontal plane, whereby the box shaped articles will be carried first in upright condition and then in a substantially flat condition along said horizontal plane, printing rollers arranged opposite the edges ofthebelts for printing upon opposite sides of said box shaped articles as the belts move the same upwardly, a vertical pitfall adapted to receive the articles moving along said horizontal plane for stacking said articles in substantially fiat condition, and means for feeding said articles from the delivery end of said belts into said pitfall one by one while maintaining said articles in substantially flat condition.

6. In a printing apparatus for printing box shaped articles, spaced parallel conveyor belts movable synchronously in the same direction for carrying between them the box shaped articles to be stamped, means for driving said belts, means for guiding opposite substantially parallel portions of the belts first vertically upwardly and then in a curved path to a substantially horizontal plane, whereby the box shaped articles will be carried first in upright condition and then in a substantially flat condition along said horizontal plane, printing rollers arranged opposite the edges of the belts for printing upon opposite sides of the box shaped articles as the belts move the same upwardly, a chute for receiving the articles moving along said horizontal plane, and guiding means for said articles detachably connected to said chute for guiding said articles away from said chute.

JOSEF RONA. 

